Inverter?? Combiner??? Problems!!! - RV-Dreams Community Forum

DenJen12 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Inverter?? Combiner??? Problems!!!

WestWardHo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sounds like you have a new unit which may still be under warranty. Can you call Open Range Customer Service first thing on Monday and get answers specific to your unit?

Good luck.

Sherry

DenJen12 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I never seem to get through to anyone at the company....and the people at the dealership weren't all that helpful as they really would rather us bring it in for them to diagnose...your know, more $$$ that way

But I will have to be pushing for something if I can't figure it out with help from someone on one of the forums I am part of....I put the question out to the members of the Open Range Owners forum as well....between this and that one, hopefully I will have an idea what I'm looking at at least.

NorCal Dan · RV-Dreams Family Member

The items that worked normally during the power outage, were they all 12VDC items like lights? It sounds like your inverter, for whatever reason, is not producing 120VAC. Do you have the manuals for the inverter and combiner? If not, get the model numbers off of them and do some google searching for them online. Here's some info I found on the Magnum inverter-combiner: http://magnumenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SBC_smartbatterycombiner_data_sheet_revb.pdf

DenJen12 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yes, everything that worked were 12VDC items during power outages. I do have the manuals but they don't have much info in them at all! Basically how to turn them on, but nothing for when they don't turn on. Ours is a Pure Sine Wave inverter not too sure about the combiner. I'm doing research now as well as crossing my fingers for a little snip of help on the forums to at least push me in the right direction

NorCal Dan · RV-Dreams Family Member

Post the make and model so we can research them. There is bound to be info on the internet...

Lonney Wade · RV-Dreams Family Member

You did not say what the volt readings were on the batteries and how many batteries you had, this will help!

Lonney

Glenn West · RV-Dreams Family Member

I don't have and open range but will try to help. Most inverters has an on/off switch since there are times you don't want it running. It draws power also. Check to see if it is off. Most units, and all should be, has a sub panel for the inverter. That panel feeds your fridge and other legs hooked to it. I have seen units with an inverter and a residential fridge that the fridge was not wired to the sub panel. I just removed wire from main panel and pulled it to sub and all was good. Let us know what you find out.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Dennis and Jennee,

I know your dealership as we have bought three different RV's from Lewis RV over the years. Your Open Range should still be in warranty and thus it shouldn't cost you anything but the cost of traveling to the dealership. Be sure and set an appointment so that they can get it in the day you arrive.

We have a Xantrex 3000 watt inverter that is also the converter. For me to use it as an inverter, I do have to turn the inverter portion on at a control box in the "coat closet" by the entry door.

Good luck with the problem and the drive up north. We have a residential fridge in our trailer and we had no problems with no power for our moving from Oklahoma to Colorado. However, in our moving, the longest move we made in one day was 200 miles. I've heard folks say that a fridge should be good without power for something like 6 to 8 hours, as long as the doors are kept closed.

Terry

Glenn West · RV-Dreams Family Member

Actually your inverter is also a charger. You likely have a separate converter also. You should. When you park your camper and plug it into 110 at house you need to turn off inverter and plug in/turn on converter. they come in very handy used like this. We are full time so our converter is never used.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

My residential fridge cannot go 6 to 8 hours. I know, because I have a wireless thermometer - http://www.amazon.com/ACU_RITE-Refrigerator-Wireless-Thermometer-00986/dp/B004QJVU78. The freezer was up to 25 degrees after 4 hours. Fridge models vary on how long they can go without power, both in models and installation. To be sure, you need to know the temperatures. The wireless thermometer and batteries are cheaper than spoiled food, or getting sick on food you didn't know was spoiled. The freezer thermometer does need AA lithium batteries, freezer temps are too cold for alkaline.

Glenn West · RV-Dreams Family Member

Ours won't either. It is 11 years old though. Might not be insulated as good as newer ones.

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

Glenn,

Why would you need a converter if one already has an inverter/converter? When hooked up we just turn the invert portion off and let it float charge for the batteries.

Barb

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

A good converter with a 3-stage charger still has its uses. I know multiple people who remove the shore power wiring and put in a plug for an extension cord in theirs. When on low amp power, like a 15 amp driveway camping cord or a small Honda generator, they plug it into the converter to keep the batteries up. Then everything on the big inverter/charger is available, microwave, etc.

Glenn West · RV-Dreams Family Member

Like Bill said, if we were not full time and stored our camper and wanted to have power on it, we would turn off inverter and plug in converter. It uses less current and will keep batteries up. Even when on shore power we could turn inverter off and use converter to save energy. I suspect the op has their inverter turned off. Sounds as if they were not informed in the use of it from dealer. It's possible that they didn't know themselves.

DenJen12 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for all the replies. I haven't been on in a couple days as we had our move date pushed up and we have been on the road. We had the guy that transported our trailer look at the inverter (he has quite a bit of knowledge on them as that is all he does) and he believes it just not wired correctly. The inverter itself seems to be completely dead. No buttons you push make any difference. We are now in the Indoor RV park in North Dakota and there are some people around that I can have come look at it for us. We just emptied the fridge and freezer for this trip and hauled it all in coolers to my mothers house in Nebraska.....and left it all there...LOL. It was a two day trip and by the time the trailer got here, the fridge was reading 66 degrees. It will definitely be nice to get that inverter fixed for the next time....however I believe we have about a year and a half to figure it out. Thanks again everyone!

Glenn West · RV-Dreams Family Member

The on/off switch on mine is behind a panel. Have you looked?

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Don't forget to do any testing, learning or planning during that year and a half.

DenJen12 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Glenn, our on/off switch is on the front near the read out screen.

dewwood · RV-Dreams Family Member

I am not saying this is your problem, but I do know that several people that have the residential refers are finding the inverter to be too small to operate the refer. They have been working with the manufacturers to resolve the issue. You may want to check with your manufacturer to see if they can help you.

DenJen12 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Ours isn't a problem of size. Ours just flat won't come on at all. No lights, no read out. The inverter itself seems dead. I just got a card of a mobile rv repair service up here and will be giving them a call to try and get this figured out. I have been told that it may be wired wrong or it is just like i said, dead.